All-flexible-rubber sink-seal.



E. A. STEARS. ALL FLEXIBLE RUBBER SINK SEAL. l PPLIUATION FILED 11017.17, 1909. mnzwnn un. 14, 1911.

1,007,013, Patented Oct. 24, 1911.

INVENTO/ mil/mfr COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH CO.,WASMINGTON, n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EMILY A. STEARS, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

ALL-FLEXIBLE-RUBBER SINK-SEAL.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Oct. 24, 1911.

Application filed November 17, 1909, Serial No. 528,526. Renewed April 14, 1911. Serial No. 621,127.

To all 'whom it may concern: A

Be it known that I, EMILY A. STEARs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, (whose post-office address is 422 Atlantic avenue, in said Brooklyn,) have invented new and useful Improvements in All-FleXible-Rubber Sink-Seals, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in sanitary sink seals and its objects are, to provide a device adapted to be placed over the strainer of a sink or the waste passages of tubs, basins and the like and to be held by the pressure of the water in such receptacles, said device being flexible and so constructed as to readily conform to the upper surface of the part to be sealed.

Another object is to provide a seal that will prevent obnoxious gases-and consequently odors-from passing from the waste pipe into the room in which such sinks, tubs or basins are located, thereby obviating danger to the health of persons from such gases.

A further object of the invention is to so construct the device that the main portion of it may be of considerable thickness, in order that it may withstand the rough usage to which such devices are usually subjected and at the same time having certain portions extremely fiexible and yielding so that it will require only a very slight pressure to bring the entire lower surface of the seal into close contact with the opening to be closed or sealed.

These and other minor objects are attained by the novel construction hereinafter fully described and shown in the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, and in which:

Figure 1, is a plan view of a common sink showing the seal positioned on the strainer, a portion of the seal being broken away to show the perforations in the sink strainer. Fig. 2, is an enlarged vertical section of a portion of a sink and the seal, the seal being in operative position over the sink strainer. Fig. 3, is a detail plan view of the seal. Fig. 4, is a side view of the same, and Fig. 5, is a sectional view showing the seal applied to a sink having a dished or concave surface.

Similar characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The sink strainer 10 may be of any form,

either flat, as indicated in Fig. 2, convex or concave, as indicated in Fig. 5.

The seal 11 consists of a plate of rubber or other similar flexible material having the main body portion 12 of uniform thickness,

said body portion being of sufficient thicknessand strength to readily withstand the wear and rough usage to which such a device is unavoidably subjected.

The main body portion of the device is formed in sections which are connected by very thin and very iiexible portions 13, the under side of said thin portions being flush with the under side of the main body portions so that the entire under surface of the whole device is smooth. Grooves or recesses 1A are formed between the thick parts of the body portions of the device, the flexible connecting parts or diaphragms 13, forming the bottoms of said grooves or recesses.

By reason of the very thin flexible portions connecting together the thick main body portion, the entire device is extremely flexible and can be readily flexed by any downward pressure, as from water thereon, or by suction which will cause it to conform to the contour of the upper surface of the strainer or other partto which it is applied.

The thin flexible portions are shown in the drawings as concentric rings and a center piece; it will be understood however, that these'flexible portions need not necessarily be circular, it being only necessary that they are so formed as to separate the main body portions of the device so that the thick part of the seal will not interfere with the seating of the seal overthe strainer.

By reference to Fig. 5, the purpose and the operation of the thin connecting portions 13, may be readily understood; it will also be understood that the outer flanges form a sealing surface as well as the flexible parts 13, and all that is necessary to remove the device from the strainer is to raise it in any conveniently suitable way in order to permit air to get under the same.

It will be seen that this invention provides a device which as a whole is substantial and durable and which will withstand a great amount of rough usage, while at the same time it may be flexed by water pressure or other means tending to seat it over the sink strainer, or other similar opening requiring a seal, thereby forming an airtight covering to the upper surface thereof and thus preventing sewer or other obnoxious gases from entering the room or apartment.

Having thus described the invention What is claimed as new and desired to secure by Letters Patent, is:

l. An all flexible sanitary rubber sink seal comprising a plurality of flexible members, connected integrally by Web portions of thinner iiexible material adapted to be positioned over the perforations of a sink strainer and to be held against the same by Water pressure.

2. An all fiexible sanitary rubber sink seal comprising concentric rings of relatively thick material, connected by thinner integral Web portions of similar flexible material adapted to be held by Water pressure against the perforations of a sink strainer, tubs, basins and the like.

3. An all iexible sanitary rubber sink seal comprising a plate of thin flexible material having a smooth under surface and raised concentric rings on its upper surface, said lower surface being adapted for disposal over the perforations of a sink strainer and to be held thereon by Water pressure.

4L. An all iiexible sanitary rubber sink seal comprising a plurality of relatively thick members integrally united by thin Webs, the Whole being extremely flexible, with its entire under surface smooth, level and adapted to be tightly seated over the perforations of a sink strainer.

5. An all flexible sanitary rubber sink seal comprising alternate thick and thin members concentrically arranged, comprised vWholly of extremely fiexible material having Witnesses.

EMILY A. STEARS. Vitnesses lV. A. ToWNnR, J r., M. DINNHAUPT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

